The first ever mother/daughter wrestling duo at WOW, The Mother Truckers: Big Rig Betty and Holly Swag, get on the mic across from host Nigel Zane and David McLane to spill all the behind the scenes details of their time on the independent circuit, joining WOW, producing at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), and competing in “Power Slap!”

Big Rig Betty is an industry veteran; starting as a sports photographer, she worked indie wrestling gigs shooting the action and dragging Holly Swag along behind her, until Holly convinced Big Rig to step into the ring herself. 

Big Rig Betty on deciding to start professional wrestling: “[Holly] was like why don’t you just do it, you know you want to…[Holly] and Jessie Jones is the reason why I continued on for the past 18 years.”

Holly Swag has always had a fiery spirit, in fact she was known for getting in fights in high school. She boasts that she always knew she was meant for the wrestling ring, and so she could care less about her education. Having grown up in wrestling locker rooms, watching wrestling, and idolizing Jeff Hardy, Holly never doubted she could get in the ring and put on a show. 

Jessie Jones became a fast friend of Big Rig Betty’s, and the pair were mentored by wrestling legend Tracy Smothers. Thinking back, Holly wishes she had soaked in more of her time alongside her mother, Jessie, and Tracy while on the road from gig to gig, mentioning that Tracy always had fun stories, but Holly was too young to really understand how important that time was before Smothers passed. 

Holly Swag on Tracy Smothers: “I went on my own journey and ran from wrestling for a little bit…but whenever I was a kid and mom was first starting off, I did used to sit in the locker room and soak up all his stories and kind of just listen…I don’t think I appreciated his stories as much as I should have. Especially now if I could go back in the locker room and hear what he has to say now, it would just hit so much different.”

The Mother Truckers also discuss balancing filming for the Netflix documentary highlighting OVW talent while getting the call to join the WOW roster. 

Holly Swag on her Netflix appearance: “I think I’m just grateful to have my son and my mom on there, on a major platform forever…that’s huge”

While at WOW, Holly Swag and Big Rig Betty competed as mother and daughter, winning the WOW World Tag Team Championship Titles together. That moment is one that Big Rig will never forget, even though Holly went on to betray her mom and join the Fab Four after being shown the high life by Lana Star. Big Rig Betty then brought Jessie Jones back to the WOW roster, winning the WOW World Tag Team Titles with her best friend! Holly has since been straightened out and reunited with her family after learning that anything that looks too good to be true probably is.

Big Rig Betty on winning the Tag Team Championships: “Honestly it’s humbling for me…there are very very few women that are mother / daughter [wrestlers]. We’re the first that have ever been signed together to a contact…”

Holly added: “[Big Rig Betty] was like ‘Well I can retire now’ and I was like what do you mean? We’re just getting started!”

David McLane chimed in to add that the Mother Truckers’ signature call and response “Honk, Honk” has been co-opted by WWE NXT’s Hank and Tank!

David McLane on NXT’s Hank and Tank stealing crowd chants: “The original guys that are the ‘Honk, Honk’ are right there: The Mother Truckers. Those guys from NXT, or wherever they’re from, watched it and stole it! Just so you fans know, Holly Swag and Big Rig Betty are the original ‘Honk, Honk!’”